§ 14. Mr. Allasonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he is considering in his policy for the preservation of the green belt.
§ Mr. RipponNone at present. A general statement on green belts, following a review of the procedures for dealing with them, was made on 27th September, copies of which are available in the Library.
§ Mr. AllasonHow does that answer square with the fact that, planning permission having been given for a prison in the village of Bovingdon, shortly afterwards my right hon. and learned Friend's predecessor gave planning permission for 200 houses for commuters outside the village, in green belt land? Is this not an intolerable attack both on the village of Bovingdon and on the green belt policy of the county of Hertfordshire? Will my right hon. and learned Friend come and see for himself the damage which has been done?
§ Mr. RipponThat is a particular case, which does not seem to arise immediately out of the Question. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Development has, I believe, written to my hon. Friend about the matter. As far as I can judge, the decision is not out of line with the general policy statement, though each case must be considered on its merits. As for the general question which my hon. Friend has raised, I take the opportunity of saying that I have read the recent booklet which he and some of my other hon. Friends have published, called "Need House Prices Rise? "—[Interruption.]—for which I have much sympathy, not least with what they have to say about the green belt.
§ Mr. John SilkinWill the Secretary of State accept that we all applaud the policy of preserving the green belt, but that the danger is of nibbling at it? I do not know of the case to which the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Allason) referred, but a dozen such nibbles can totally destroy the green belt. If the right hon. and learned Gentleman wishes to learn something about keeping down house prices he should adopt the policy put forward by the Labour Party 409 and introduce public ownership of land, and repeal the Housing Finance Act.
§ Mr. RipponIn the attempt to keep house prices down, or to keep them stable, I shall certainly not follow the line adopted by the Labour Government, who put them up. As for general green belt policy, I believe that nibbling at the green belt is wrong. The approach of my hon. Friend in his pamphlet is correct. He said:
We could perhaps recommend a regular review with a principal objective of ensuring a genuine green belt round each of the conurbations and most significant towns at an early opportunity, and an open mind about releasing the grey areas for development.That seems to me a commonsense approach.
§ Mr. John WellsIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that the Lea Valley runs through Hertfordshire. Although technically it is green belt, it is far from green. The horticultural industry would welcome the planting of houses. Will my right hon. and learned Friend review his green belt policy not only in the Lea Valley but in all areas of derelict glasshouses?
§ Mr. RipponI am willing to look at that. It is another point which is taken up by my hon. Friend in his booklet.
§ Mr. CantIn view of the approach of the reorganisation of local government, will the Secretary of State ask the Minister for Local Government and Development to look carefully at the structure plans of the new counties to see that within the existing green belts they do not make excessively generous allocations of land for residential purposes, which would make it difficult for those who are trying to rebuild the cities to do so successfully?
§ Mr. RipponI am sure that those are considerations which should be borne in mind, and that my right hon. Friend will take note of the hon. Member's point.
§ Mr. AllasonOn a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment.